lightfoot789

Note: I only bring up Walker because he was the worst in baseball last year (strikeouts). Despite his .940 OPS and other first half numbers last year, his K rate was ridiculous. The K rate continued and the other stats dropped as Sano and Buxton moved on. Are stats a result of the people around you and your tools? How will this affect Sano this season (better or worse)? I believe K's are a reflection of lots more than just bad pitch recognition. How and Why do they pitch to you a certain way?

Never said that. Never suggested that. My point was that Sano has had the luxuary of having the Polanco's; Rosario's; Kepler's; Vargas's batting in front and behind him for years and has flourished in that role. Those guys protecting each other. He is a great player. Walker is a strikeout prone hitter who benefitted his only solid year (20% K rate) when he hit 4th in the lineup. Does batting order have a significant role in why hitters strikeout more or less? Protection? Will it help Sano? Should you see more fastballs with great contact hitters in front and behind you? Are the Twins built that way?

At the time Sano left Chattanooga for the Twins - Walker had a .940 OPS to Sano's .918. Walker 23 HRs / 67 RBI / 18 2B / 50 runs scored [batting 7th] at the time of Sano's promotion. .272 BA Sano 15 HRs / 52 RBI / 18 2B / 52 runs scored [batting 3rd] with Polanco in front of him and Kepler (MVP) behind him. .274 BA But Sano did walk more - Chances are that Sano was already driven home by the time Walker came to the plate or the inning was aready over. Just saying Sano's BB did not help Walker drive in 106 RBI. The only time Walker hit 4th was the year he had a 20% K rate. More to K's than just K's. Protection is a real thing.

275/.305/.475 (.780), 35 doubles, 7 triples, 20 home runs. Impact bat that will get better as year progresses

That would be 11 to 12 relievers, not counting 5 to 6 starters. Decisions decisions

I heard the AA and AAA teams played several innings at Jet Blue before the rain came Saturday. Walker hit 3rd HR in 4th game over on the minor league side. Glad to see ABW finally getting reps.

He never looks like he's trying to hit home runs. The ball just jumps off his bat. And boy does it jump off far.

IBoomBoom Add in the 2 homers he hit off of Trevor May and Mike Pelfrey in the same MLB intra squad game and Walker has 4 home runs and 2 doubles and 4 SO in 15 spring training AB's against MLB pitching. [.400 BA & 26% K rate] - You can figure out the SLG & OPS. Even you need to recognize that those numbers are impressive, even for spring training. I just dropped the mic.................... I'm out!

Sano was promoted from AA because he recognized pitches from guys who throw better than they pitch. I think not. (FYI - Walker had 23 homers to Sano's 15 at the time Sano was promoted). Kepler jumped to a top 5 prospect in the Twins system and top 100 in MLB because he did so well against guys who throw better than they pitch. I think not. Same pitchers for all 3 guys. I agree that the Twins are not willing to accept the mass SO, but nothing in Walker's past seasons show he is not capable of producing the same numbers. Nothing. All he has done is produce (with a ton of strikeouts). I would bet that even Dougie Baseball agrees that neither Ft. Myers nor Chattanooga win a championship without Walker's K's in the lineup. Because his production was that important despite the K's. Hell the Twins need to take a page out of Walker's playbook. 4 championships in 4 years. All while leading in production and strikeouts. You were saying "That's production no winning team could afford to put up with"?

Production never matters when you talk about Walker. 4 for 10 with 2 doubles and 2 home runs and 2 strike outs - Lol

Me and my posse seem to have that affect on people (on this board). We joke about it offline all the time. Because of that - "We" are retired. We know that it's not easy to change the minds of non believers. And HARD views are often frowned upon when not in the norm. That's OK. We get it. ABW II will continue to be a polarizing figure on this board, because he is an anomaly. He does things that others in the system can't do (good and bad). He will forever be judged on his probabilities and not his effectiveness as a player in season. At least not until he proves himself in the same light at the MLB level. I leave you with this (forever): Most posters on the board are happy with the change in organizational philosophy in terms of power arms and power bats. We frown upon players like Burdi; Chargois; Jones; Reed; Arcia; Vargas; Harrison; Kepler; etc. for not tapping into their power "skill set" more consistently, yet the only prospect to consistently tap into his power "skill set" every year is the one most viewed as "least likely to make it". ABW II Lol Peace Love and Sooooul / Don't hate JU4Life

This is Kepler's first year hitting over .300, but you would promote him because of potential. Walker has averaged 26 HRs and 100+ RBI over 3 years and you would not promote him because of lack of potential. Different philosophy, but I recognize that I am not the norm in my thinking. I agree that I am blinded by results and the lack of failure in those categories of production. Kepler's 3 HRs an 40 RBI and 47 runs scored mean more with his .400 OBP than a guy with 26 HRs and 82 RBI and 54 runs scored with a .317 OBP. Career years mean more than consistency (essentially).

When you put up 26 and 82 - I need to make sure it isn't a one trick pony. History of other prospects couldn't be my deciding factor. I eventually need to find out and force failure to make sure. If you could - Name the last player to lead the minors in HRs and RBI (after mid season) and NOT get promoted sometime during that season? Any MLB team? Not HRs or RBI - but both! 1) _______ _________ To your point - there is not a cookie cutter approach to developing prospects as there is not a cookie cutter way in evaluating them either.

Not a bad idea

ABW II strikeout ratio is ridiculous and will probably get worse at his MLB infancy. But, we are not talking about a guy who has big HR and RBI totals in the minors. We are talking about the guy who is The BEST HR and RBI producer in his league every year. Tops in minors in HRs and 2nd in minors in RBI and 3rd in minors in XBH's. EVERY YEAR. Have the Twins ever had such a prospect? And remember I said EVERY YEAR. To those who say that is because he doesn't get promoted - He was leading before everyone else got promoted. Just saying........... High Ceiling IMO or I'm saving that Poker Chip for an All In gamble. No more response from me (Promise)